Soviet Reinforcements

Remember I said I was plotting something big for the Soviets? Well, it’s finally arrived…

 

Yeah, I went there...

While this is in actual fact far too big for the groundscale we intend to play, it will make a cracking centrepiece of terrain for games, or potentially an objective for some derring do on the part of some SAS mobility troop infiltrators. However, you can’t just have a TEL on its own, for any sense of realism, (and for yet more stuff for GMPG clad Landies to brass up), the attendant fleet of supporting and command vehicles should really be represented.

Boxbodies, you gotta have boxbodies.

I also took the opportunities to pick up some assorted APCs  from Hobby Den, in the shape of an MTLB, a BTR-60, and a BTR-70. The thinking is that the MTLB will be used as a generic command vehicle to accompany the SCUD deployment, as well as for use in other scenarios requiring a Soviet HQ to be represented, while the BTRs will be used to transport a “specialist” motor rifle squad for two of the Soviet forces; the BTR-70 will transport a KGB Border guard squad accompanying the temperate force opposing the BAOR, while the BTR-60 will carry a Naval Infantry squad for use with my planned Soviet force in Norway (these will be given a higher troop rating than the normal MR units, and have really just been included to let me paint some funky looking uniforms as a change to the usual Soviet Khaki, and also so I can make use of the new Elhiem MR troops in the pipeline with different poses…). It will also allow my to mount up my existing Motor Rifles until some obliging company (I’m looking at you, S-Model) provides us with a decent plastic BMP-2…

So all in all, that should be enough Soviet vehicles to keep me going in the meantime (until I cave in and get tanks…), and before I’m accused of Meglomania, I should point out that I have refrained from buying the 1/72 Topol ICBM and TEL that Zvezda have recently released. I’m fairly sure this would allow games where we could just set up a board each in our own houses, and deploy our own troops thereon, and I could then just phone Dave and instruct him to douse his board in lighter fluid and drop a match on it, while playing The Doors “The End”…

I’m aware that the Christmas Season is well and truly upon us, with all the attendant commitments that brings. So, with their being every chance that this will be the last update prior to the big day, and in the event that it is, I’d like to take this chance to wish all of you a very merry Christmas and all he best for 2015, from John, Dave and myself. Thanks for your interest in the blog and your support over the last year, we hope that the posts have provided something of interest to you, whatever side of wargaming floats your boat. Hopefully 2015 should bring a renewed burst of creativity, we’ve got lot’s planned, and as ever, watching the inevitable chaos as we try to bring it to fruition should be amusing if nothing else!

Best Wishes!

Iain

PS, to continue the madness of that video, do a Google image search for "Soviet Christmas cards". Thanks to Andy Rix over at Cold War Gamer for opening my eyes to that particular brand of inspired lunacy....

Cold War Update…

…the last of the year? Well hopefully not.  However, of late I’ve been trying to batter through some of the last remnants of half done stuff on the workbench.

The Soviet BRDM-2 has progressed a bit, and the weathering doesn’t look too bad, now that the rest of the vehicle has caught up with it a bit. Hopefully should have this finished by the end of the month, and thus allow the Soviets to start 2015 with at least some mobility….

Back in the West, I’ve finished the remaining two US infantrymen

Here they are with the rest of the fireteam

And the whole lot together. I’m quite chuffed with how cohesive they look, despite the two dramatically different kit and uniforms between the infantry and the LRRPs

With that being the end of the available infantry for the time being, I guess it’s time to start on the vehicles…

Cheers,

Iain.

Latest Cold War Progress…

Since the last post I’ve made a start on the two remaining US infantrymen for the 70's project. They’re coming along nicely and hopefully should be finished by next week.

I’ve moved the BRDM-2 on a little bit, too. Unfortunately I may have gone a bit too heavy on the weathering; the paint job would be fine for some chanky old rustbucket from the Balkan conflict, but not quite as suitable for a well maintained machine in its prime, in the service of a Guards Motor Rifle Regiment…

I’ve also just procured something a bit special for the Soviets, but you’ll just need to wait to see what that is….

Cheers

Iain